Boats can be equipped with some form of sun shade apparatus or other enclosure such as a top, canopy or bimini. Some tops can be moved between an extended, engaged, locked or radar position and a stowed, collapsed, unlocked or trailering position. Some tops are constructed out of tubular frames that articulate to at least two positions. Some such tops can be manually articulated to a desired position, while others utilize mechanical aids such as hydraulics or electric motors to power the apparatus into the desired position(s).
The manual articulation of tops often require a significant effort to move the top into the desired position(s). One common method for manually articulating a top is to manually lift the top into the desired state, such as an extended position. Then, the top can be secured in position by latching or locking a frame member, such as a bow, arm or strut, such as to hardware that is attached to the water craft. Such manual articulation requires significant strength to raise the top into position, and dexterity and balance to secure the top in position. Such manual articulation can be unsafe if undertaken by a single person.
Some tops have been designed such that they use gravity to pull the top into the stowed position when released from the extended position. However, when released, such tops violently collapse, which can injure someone in the path of the top, damage the top and/or the water craft or be noisy, potentially scaring away wildlife. Other tops may use powered mechanical systems to decrease or even eliminate the need for manual articulation. However, such powered tops are often cost prohibitive and may not be useable with all boat models, as such powered tops can require specific structural elements for mounting thereto and power.
Therefore, there is need for a cost effective top that decreases the effort required to manually articulate the top. There is also a need for a top that can be manually articulated by one person without a sudden collapsing of the top and that can be securely stowed, such as for transportation and storage.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.